| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: create it.
It is also true, that, from the loftiest standpoint, the condemnation of
war which has arisen in the advancing human spirit, is in no sense related
to any particular form of sex function. The man and the woman alike, who
with Isaiah on the hills of Palestine, or the Indian Buddha under his bo-
tree, have seen the essential unity of all sentient life; and who therefore
see in war but a symptom of that crude disco-ordination of life on earth,
not yet at one with itself, which affects humanity in these early stages of
its growth: and who are compelled to regard as the ultimate goal of the
race, though yet perhaps far distant across the ridges of innumerable
coming ages, that harmony between all forms of conscious life,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: For by his death we do perceive his guilt;
And God in justice hath reveal'd to us
The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,
Which he had thought to have murther'd wrongfully.--
Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.
[Sound a flourish. Exeunt.]
SCENE IV. A Street.
[Enter GLOSTER and his Servingmen, in mourning cloaks.]
GLOSTER.
Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud,
And after summer evermore succeeds
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: "Saw ever mortal the like o' that!" said Elliot; "but my case is
desperate, sae, if he were Beelzebub himsell, I'se venture down
the brae on him."
Yet, notwithstanding his assumed courage, he slackened his pace,
when, nearly upon the very spot where he had last seen the tall
figure, he discerned, as if lurking among the long heather, a
small black rough-looking object, like a terrier dog.
"He has nae dog that ever I heard of," said Hobbie, "but mony a
deil about his hand--lord forgie me for saying sic a word!--It
keeps its grund, be what it like--I'm judging it's a badger; but
whae kens what shapes thae bogies will take to fright a body? it
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Message by Honore de Balzac: trousers with the cuffs of my sleeves, dusted my coat with the
sleeves themselves, and gave them a final cleansing rub one
against the other. I buttoned my coat carefully so as to exhibit
the inner, always the least worn, side of the cloth, and finally
had turned down the tops of my trousers over my boots,
artistically cleaned in the grass. Thanks to this Gascon toilet,
I could hope that the lady would not take me for the local rate
collector; but now when my thoughts travel back to that episode
of my youth, I sometimes laugh at my own expense.
Suddenly, just as I was composing myself, at a turning in the
green walk, among a wilderness of flowers lighted up by a hot ray
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